On Tue, Jan 05, 1999 at 08:39:04PM -0800, Joel Klecker wrote:
> At 00:25 +0100 1999-01-05, Marcus Brinkmann wrote:
> up to full feature parity with lilo with regard to Linux).
>
> >Because this affects directly the core Debian installation, this is
> >something which will not be done lightly. OTOH, if LILO can't boot the Hurd,
> >there are good chances that GRUB will replace LILO in the long run
> >(especially because it has a MUCH nicer user interface, I would really like
> >to have it the default).
>
> LILO definitely can't handle the needs of a Mach-based system, and
> GRUB already does everything LILO does and more. The only missing
> piece is an install program like LILO's bootstrap installer (i.e. the
> `lilo' program (which we almost have in grubinst)).
GREAT! As soon as it works, I am all for it. Maybe we can use GRUB for 2.2?
If not, the distribution after potatoe should have it, I think.
(Note that I am writing this in complete ignorance what is needed to make
grubinst work :)
> >However, GRUB needs to be ported to the other ports, too. Is there a GRUB
> >version for alpha, sparc, m68k etc?
>
> GRUB is not designed to be portable as far as I know, and the other
> ports already have decent bootloaders. The boot-floppies already have
> to deal with different bootloaders on different ports anyway.
Ok. I can't see any reason not to chnage from GRUB to LILO now.
> >PS: Maybe we need to change the partition naming in GRUB, or offer
> >alternatives, otherwise it is too confusing. Well, if we wrap around it in
> >grubinst, that's okay I think.
>
> GRUB's partition naming makes sense if you get used to it, all it
> gets from the BIOS is the disk number, so it has no idea what kind of
> hard disk it's looking at, so presenting them all as hdX makes sense
> (it gets really perverse when you note that the order in which the
> BIOS presents the disks depends on the configuration of the BIOS).
True- the partition naming is a mess anyway. No way around this. Why do we
have to bear with antique PC limitations? Someone should write a free BIOS
for mainstream motherboards, so we can drop the whole thing...
Thanks,
Marcus
--
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